Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia Nervosa Treatment

Compassionate, specialist support to help you rebuild a healthier relationship with food, your body, and yourself.

At The London Centre for Eating Disorders and Body Image, we provide discreet, evidence-based treatment for anorexia nervosa, restrictive eating and weight phobias. Our team works collaboratively, offering personalised, clinician-led care for individuals of all ages. Whether you are seeking support for the first time or after previous treatment, we meet you with compassion, understanding, and a focus on long-term recovery.

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Anorexia EXPLAINED

What Is Anorexia Nervosa?

Anorexia nervosa is a serious but treatable eating disorder involving restrictive eating, an intense fear of weight gain, and a distorted sense of body shape or size. For many people, anorexia is not truly about food, it can function as a way to cope with overwhelming emotions, create a sense of control, or feel “safe” in moments of distress.

People with anorexia may find it difficult to recognise the severity of the problem, or may feel frightened at the thought of change. This is a common and understandable part of the illness.

1%

Estimated Females in the UK experience anorexia in their lifetime

If this is how you or someone you love feels, specialist support can make a meaningful difference.

As one of the few dedicated treatment centres for anorexia, The London Centre offers evidence-based therapies to support physical, psychological, and emotional recovery.

0.5%

Estimated males in the UK experience anorexia in their lifetime

ASPECTS OF IMPORTANCE

Does Anorexia Nervosa only affect people at low weights?

Whilst historically the diagnostic term Anorexia Nervosa was associated with low weight, it is now well recognised that restrictive eating and weight-related anxiety can present in many forms, and is not always associated with low weight. At The London Centre, anyone experiencing the psychological and emotional features associated with anorexia can access compassionate, specialist treatment, tailored to their individual needs.

Whilst anorexia that is not associated with low weight is sometimes referred to diagnostically as ‘atypical anorexia’, it is no less serious or distressing to the individual and as such, treatment should never be offered or declined according to a person’s body weight.

How We Support you

Signs and Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia can present differently from person to person. Some individuals appear visibly underweight, while others do not. It is important to recognise that you do not have to experience all of these signs to meet criteria for anorexia to be deserving of support or treatment.

Anyone experiencing these signs deserves compassion, understanding, and access to specialist support.

Common signs may include:

  • Strict rules around eating
  • Intense fear of gaining weight
  • Weight loss or a strong urge to lose weight
  • Preoccupation with calories, food rules, or body shape
  • Avoidance of meals or eating with others
  • Excessive or compulsive exercise
  • Feeling unable to eat certain foods without guilt or distress
  • Low self-esteem or a distorted sense of body size
  • Feeling cold, tired, or dizzy
  • Difficulty concentrating or withdrawal from social situations
Personalised Care

How The London Centre
Supports Recovery

Treatment at The London Centre is clinician-led, confidential, and tailored to each individual. We understand that anorexia can affect every part of a person’s life, thoughts, emotions, physical health, relationships, and sense of identity.

Our psychologists, psychotherapists, dietitians, and psychiatrists work closely together to ensure joined-up, holistic care.

We approach recovery collaboratively, helping each person rebuild confidence around food, understand the emotional functions of their eating disorder, develop healthier coping strategies and work towards a more peaceful, compassionate relationship with their body.

Recovery is personal, not prescriptive and we will always meet you where you are.

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Personalised Care

Therapies Used to Treat
Anorexia Nervosa

We offer a wide range of evidence-based therapies that can be adapted to individual needs, treatment goals, and preferences. These include:

  • CBT-E (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Eating Disorders)
  • MANTRA Therapy
  • Schema Therapy
  • Specialist Supportive Clinical Management (SSCM)
  • Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT)
  • EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing)
  • Family-Based Treatment (FBT) for children and adolescents

A Holistic Approach
to Recovery

These therapies work to address restrictive eating patterns, body image distress, emotional regulation, and the unhelpful beliefs and fears that maintain anorexia. Many people benefit from combining psychological therapy with dietetic support and medical monitoring.

Benefits of Specialist Anorexia Treatment

  • Improved physical stability and nutritional health
  • Greater understanding of triggers and underlying factors
  • Reduced anxiety around food, eating, and weight
  • Increased self-esteem and self-compassion
  • Healthier coping strategies and improved emotional regulation
  • Repaired trust with food, body, and relationships
  • Long-term tools for maintaining progress and preventing relapse
A Place of Specialist Support

When to Seek Help for
Anorexia Nervosa

Early support can significantly improve treatment outcomes, but it’s never too early or too late to reach out. If you or someone you care about struggles with restrictive eating, intense anxiety about food or weight, or overwhelming concerns about body image, specialist treatment can help.

Some people seek help once symptoms begin, while others come forward after months or years of difficulty. Whatever your starting point, compassionate, effective treatment is available.

Start your journey

Take the First Step
Towards Recovery

Whether you’re looking for help for yourself or someone you care about, our team is here to offer understanding, expertise, and personalised support. Recovery from anorexia is possible, and you don’t have to navigate it alone.

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FAQs

FAQs About Anorexia Nervosa Treatment

Your first appointment is a supportive conversation with a specialist clinician. Together, you’ll explore your current challenges, medical background, and goals for treatment. From here, you’ll agree a personalised treatment plan tailored to your needs. It’s also an opportunity for you to meet the clinician, understand more about their therapeutic style and make a decision about whether you’d like to continue treatment.

Yes, as long as it’s clinically appropriate and safe for you to be treated in outpatient care. Most people recover through outpatient therapy or a structured intensive outpatient programme. Hospitalisation is only recommended if someone is medically unstable or at high medical risk, and in such cases, we can support you in accessing the right level of care if needed.

Express concern gently, avoid commenting on appearance, and encourage them to seek specialist help. Listening without judgement can make it easier for them to open up. If you have concerns about a loved one, a family member or a friend, we can offer one-off or ad-hoc support sessions so people can access specialist support and advice for those supporting someone with an eating disorder.

Some insurers fund specialist outpatient treatment, depending on your policy. There are a number of insurers we are unfortunately unable to work with as they don’t cover specialist fees. In some cases you may be able to self-fund and reclaim what you are able to from your insurer.

Relapse is possible, but early support and ongoing strategies help reduce the risk of relapse. We offer maintenance sessions and continued ad hoc recovery counselling when needed.

Yes. With your consent, we can liaise with your GP, psychiatrist, or any other professionals involved in your care to ensure coordinated, holistic treatment.

All treatment is strictly confidential. Information is only shared with others if you provide consent or if there is a significant safety concern.

We are an all-age service, so we will always be able to offer you an assessment. For young children, it may be necessary to work alongside a paediatric team or an external specialist child and adolescent psychiatrist. Treatment is always adapted to be developmentally appropriate and family-inclusive where needed.